Working WITH Landlords to Prevent Evictions

A robust stock of publicly funded affordable housing is absolutely critical for addressing homelessness. However, in our current market, access to private market housing is also essential for any successful homelessness prevention strategy.

Securing this access requires supportive housing programs to work with landlords to prevent evictions. Doing so can be especially challenging when trying to secure housing for individuals who have experienced homelessness.

To learn how organizations are bridging this gap, check out this panel discussion on building and maintaining relationships with private landlords. Our guests shared practical insights on how to make these relationships work in their roles as service providers, focusing on navigating the unique barriers Black, Indigenous and racialized clients face in the housing market.

Learn more about our host and panelists below!

HOST

ERIKA MORTON is Systems Planning Coordinator at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. Erika Morton attended McMaster University where she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and her Bachelor of Social Work which sparked her interest in community development and prevention-based approaches to social issues. Her work in child and youth programming inspired her to follow a career pathway that would result in building the capacity of young people to achieve their optimal wellbeing. She worked at the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton where she provided collaboration support with community partners and youth with lived experience of homelessness who are working together to end youth homelessness. In her role as a Systems Planning Coordinator, she is keen to transfer the skills and knowledge that she has developed towards ending homelessness in Canada. In her downtime, Erika is likely to be found being amused by her cats.

PANELISTS

CHRIS CLAY has been working at the Native Council of Prince Edward Island as their Reaching Home Coordinator since September of 2020, providing housing and homelessness supports to the off reserve Indigenous population of Prince Edward Island.

JANIN BARTHOLOMEW is the Landlord Engagement Coordinator at R.E.S.T Centres, a non-profit supporting BIPOC youth in Peel Region. Janin is a registered social worker and in her role at R.E.S.T Centres, she works to establish and maintain relationships with community landlords.

LEANNE JESSO is the Manager of Indigenous Housing and Inclusion at First Light St John’s Friendship Centre. Leanne is a member of the Qalipu First Nation band located on the West Coast of Newfoundland. She is a First Nations drummer and a successful mother to her 10 year old daughter, which she has the pleasure of guiding her through Indigenous practices and teachings. After living in Toronto for 12+ years, Leanne relocated back to her traditional roots to Newfoundland and currently resides in South River. She holds several degrees and currently works with First Light Friendship Centre in St.John’s as the Manager of Indigenous Housing and Inclusion. Many would describe Leanne as a strong resilient Indigenous advocate for the Urban Indigenous Peoples especially when it comes to systems such as housing and justice. Her passion is supporting relatives in navigating the systematic barriers that one often faces when trying to obtain supports and services within the Urban community.